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Indian equity valuations have eased sharply down to the levels of peer regional markets, offering investors some comfort after a prolonged phase of elevated multiples.The Nifty 50 is now trading at 19.4 times on a trailing 12-month (TTM) earnings basis, slipping below its five-year median of 22.6x and 10-year median of 22.3x—marking a marked shift down from recent peaks.The headline index has slipped below the 20x price to earnings, or PE, mark for the first time since the Covid-led market disruption in 2020. At these levels, it is placed at a discount to markets in Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea, a Mint analysis based on data from Bloomberg showed.The moderation follows a nearly 12% correction in the Nifty 50 from its 52-week high of 26,328.55 touched on 02 January 2026, driven by the West Asia war, sustained foreign outflows, and softer earnings momentum.While the pullback has brought valuations below to historical averages, it also raises a key question: are Indian equities attractive enough to lure foreign investors back?Foreign portfolio investors, or FPIs, have pulled out about ₹1.25 trillion from Indian equities in 2026, driven by global risk-off sentiment, earnings and growth concerns and sector-specific pressures.“With the Nifty now around 19x PE, valuations have come off meaningfully and look more reasonable versus history,” said Ravi Singh, chief research officer at Master Capital Services.Still, he said, it may be premature to call it a bottom.

rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and global volatility has kept hiring sentiment largely muted, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) campuses saw their median compensation rising 25-40% from that of the 2020 pandemic-era batch, as the 2026 cohort got picked up for specialized roles.As per its press release, IIM Calcutta’s median pay package was ₹35 lakh in 2026, up nearly 3% from ₹34 lakh last year and more than 37% higher that the 2020 level of ₹25.5 lakh. IIM Lucknow matched the momentum at ₹32.9 lakh, over 6% higher than ₹31 lakh a year ago and a massive 43% up from the ₹23 lakh annual package of 2020, its press statement said.

West Asia conflict, which is expected to tighten global ammunition supplies and push up defence spending.The company’s defence business has scaled rapidly, with revenue growing at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 82% between FY21 and FY25, according to an Elara Securities report dated 24 March. Its share of total sales rose from just 5% in FY21 to 18% in FY25.“We see this segment driving the next phase of superior growth,” the report said, citing India’s ₹2.2 trillion defence capex (FY27 BE), rising geopolitical tensions and a global uptick in military spending.

₹2,055 crore (about $245 million), said the people quoted earlier, speaking on the condition of anonymity as details are not public yet.The edtech firm was valued at $3.4 billion in 2021, and upGrad had proposed a valuation of $300–400 million in November before the talks collapsed in January.upGrad’s own valuation remains unchanged at around ₹17,000 crore, though it has fallen in dollar terms from $2.2 billion in its last funding round to roughly $1.8 billion due to currency movements.This roughly translates to 0.12 Upgrad shares for every Unacademy share, the people quoted earlier said.The companies refused to share valuations when they announced the deal. UpGrad and Unacademy did not respond to Mint’s queries sent on Wednesday.The acquisition was announced earlier in March after months of on-and-off negotiations.

disrupted trade routes and spiked freight and insurance costs.India's annual edible oil demand is around 26 million tonnes (mt), with domestic production meeting only up to 40% of this.According to latest trade data, India imported 14,963 tonnes of palm oil and 175,502 tonnes crude soybean oil from China between November 2025 and February 2026, as against a total of 36,000 tonnes of edible oils in the entire year ended October 2025.This is still a modest figure, given India’s total edible oil imports of around 16 mt. However, the sharp rise in shipments shows a growing willingness among importers to explore non-traditional sources amid tightening global supply conditions.Industry experts see Chinese edible oil imports rising further, as competitive pricing and lower logistics costs will give them an edge over the country's traditional exporters.According to traders, on an average, retail prices have risen by ₹15-20 per litre across edible oils including soybean, rice-bran, cottonseed, palm, groundnut and sunflower over the past one month.

Mint reported on 19 March.Pure play companies in businesses such as solar module manufacturing and renewable power production are looking to enter adjacencies to not only capture a larger share of the renewable energy value chain, but also to achieve better costs, and thus margins, through backward integration, they said. This also helps them attract customers by offering turnkey solutions, eliminating the need for the client to engage with multiple vendors.Investors have also pushed companies to diversify to achieve better valuations over their pure-play peers that focus on one business, experts said.Companies such as Waaree Energies, Vikram Solar, Premier Energies, ACME Group, and Suzlon Energy are some of the players who have diversified after scaling their core business.

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Mint explains.On Wednesday, the California Superior Court held that Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, and Google, which owns YouTube, deliberately built features that foster prolonged, compulsive use among children, contributing to mental distress and long-term harm.The court flagged infinite scroll and algorithmic recommendations as core drivers of “addiction by design,” drawing parallels with tobacco companies. Both firms have disputed the verdict.Unlikely.

tax efficiency. Instead, we began with questions about their marriage.

Singapore-based Crypto.com said last week that it was cutting 12% of its workforce. Earlier, Atlassian and Block had cited AI adoption for job losses. But what’s lacking in these pronouncements is the evidence of how, exactly, AI is replacing workers.

₹28,700 in monthly rent.Early-career professionals across cities told Mint how they navigate this balancing act—and what the cost of simply getting started looks like.For 23-year-old Khyati Sood, relocating from Delhi to Pune for her first job as a data engineer meant making a series of careful decisions. “There were a lot of trade-offs,” she said. “Whether I should stay with strangers, give up an attached bathroom, or skip having a balcony to reduce rent.”Pune, compared to other major metros, offered some relief.

₹18,000 crore, factoring in WPL-related liabilities, BCCI fees, and goods and services tax (GST). The company had bought the stake in 2008 for $110 million, implying a 17% compound annual growth rate on the investment.Analysts had expected a sale valued at $1.5-1.8 billion; the $1.9 billion deal translates into ₹13–51 higher perceived value per share, as calculated from a Nomura Global Markets Research report on 24 March, prior to the official announcement.

₹60 per cylinder hike has added to household stress and squeezed small businesses.The primary driver, experts say, is global instability.According to Adhil Shetty, CEO of BankBazaar, the increase reflects continued pressure from international markets where crude oil and natural gas prices remain elevated due to geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions."India imports a large share of its LPG needs, so any rise in international prices or freight costs tends to flow through to domestic cylinder rates," Shetty noted. He added that the latest global escalation has made cooking fuel more expensive, and with deliveries taking longer in some areas, households must prepare for higher and less predictable expenses.For several years, LPG prices in regulated markets remained relatively steady, with only minor fluctuations.

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.A technical committee review has flagged the existing BIS standard for drinking water as outdated, noting it does not adequately reflect newer technologies or the challenges seen in real-world use.The review signals a shift in policy focus—from just expanding tap water access to ensuring the water supplied is safe to drink. Mint explains the development.Fluoride contamination remains a structural issue in India, particularly in groundwater-dependent regions.

‘Water bankruptcy’ is a term coined to convey a stage after which it is impossible to return to ‘normal’ water levels without major changes. Popularized by a January 2026 United Nations report calling out the reality of an era of “global water bankruptcy,” the term has attracted considerable attention. While globally relevant, the report highlights India as a hotspot for groundwater depletion, given our overdependence on rapidly diminishing aquifers.

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Mint that their luxury brands, which also include home goods brand Jay Strongwater, have seen a clear uptick in the last one month."March emerged as the strongest it has been in the last seven years, and sales rose strongly after a brief dip in February, with overall conversion ratios improving," Kataria said. If the current geopolitical tensions persist and the West Asia war continues, more NRIs (non-resident Indians) could move back to India while residents defer overseas travel, boosting domestic luxury spending.

Mint's requests for a comment till the time of publishing.Everstone owns a majority stake in Subway India, which also counts Norwest Venture Partners and Playbook Partners among its investors.Nearly a year ago, Mint reported that Everstone was exploring a partial stake sale in the fast-food chain’s local operations as part of a $100 million private fundraising round. Those plans have since evolved, with the company now preparing for a public market listing.Everstone operates the master franchise of Subway restaurants in India through Eversub India, giving it the right to open and operate Subway restaurants in India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.

Mint explores.While addressing Parliament on the West Asia war on 23 March, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted that ethanol blending in petrol went up from just 1-1.5% a decade back to 20% currently.Ethanol, a biofuel made from agricultural crops, is now replacing about 45 million barrels of imported crude oil every year (total imports in FY25 were about 1803 million barrels).As per the petroleum ministry, ethanol blending in petrol has saved India ₹1.44 trillion (in cost of imported fuel) between November 2014 and July 2025. The ministry also estimates that the programme has led to CO2 emission reductions, equivalent to planting 300 million trees.